Revolution Records was a Canadian Record company. It was also the parent company for the Revolver label. It had success with hits from artists such as Dianne Brooks and Motherlode.
Background Incorporated in October 1968, the company was co-founded by Mort Ross, Doug Riley and Terry Brown.Billboard, May 24, 1969 - Page C-34 Radio Legislation Should Better Recording Studios The company started up in February, 1969.Billboard, October 25, 1969 - Page 82 Canadian News Report, Two Revolution Partners Split With 3d; Co. Revamps They were located at 31 Prince Arthur Avenue, Toronto.RPM Weekly, Volume 12, No. 15, November 29, 1969 - Page 5 ROSS GAINS CONTROL OF REVOLUTIONRecord World, December 6, 1969 - Page 50 Independent Record Producers
Ross was a veteran Canadian composer, instrumentalist and arranger. He also composed advertising jingles.
In the beginning, the intention was not to start off as a record company. They wanted to build a recording facility with equipment superior to that of other Canadian studios at the time. But with the studio having been built and ready for business in August 1969, two Doug Riley demos that had been recorded with Dianne Brooks as the vocalist. Impressed with what they had heard and the demos being "So good they had to be released", Revolver Records came into being.Billboard, May 24, 1969 - Page C-34 Radio Legislation Should Better Recording Studios
Revolution's label for releases was Revolver Records.RPM Weekly, Volume 12, No. 5, September 20th, 1969 - Page 9 Special Section, REVOLUTION IS HERE TO STAY In addition to Brooks and Motherlode, artists to have recordings released on the Revolver label also included Leigh Ashford, Chimo! and Moe Koffman.Discogs - Revolver (2)
History 1960s By March Dianne Brooks' single, "Walkin' on My Mind" had been released by their subsidiary Revolver.Billboard, March 15, 1969 - Page 64 From The Music Capitals of the World, College Music Contest Opens Talent Hunt By 21 April, the song had entered the RPM Weekly Canadian Content Chart at No. 10.RPM Weekly, Volume 11, No. 8, Week of April 21st. 1969 - Page 4 RPM Weekly Canadian Content Chart By May 2, it made it to No. 4 on the RPM chart. It peaked at No. 67 nationally.Canaukstan Music - Dianne Brooks, Walkin' on My Mind / Need to Belong - 7" by Michael Panontin Mort Ross had travelled to New York to set up the distribution deal with Ray Charles's Tangerine label for the United States distribution of Brooks' new record single. The deal also involved any future releases from Brooks. A distribution deal was set up for England with Morgan Records handling that task. For distribution in Canada, the Compo Company was chosen. They were also negotiating US and UK distribution deals and package tours for Motherlode.Billboard, May 24, 1969 - Page C-34 Radio Legislation Should Better Recording Studios
Also in May, Motherlode's new single "When I Die" had been released on Revolver REVS-002.Billboard, May 3, 1969 - Page 6 Canadian News Report, From The Music Capitals Of The World, Compo List of New Releases The label incorporated a promo using gimmick mailers in their extensive campaign for the group.Billboard, May 3, 1969 - Page 6 Canadian News Report, From The Music Capitals Of The World, TORONTO
By September 1969, "When I Die" had got to No. 12 on the Cash Box Top 100.Tropicalglen.com - CASH BOX Top 100 Singles, Week ending SEPTEMBER 27, 1969 It got to No.1 on the RPM Weekly chart.Library and Archives Canada - Image : RPM Weekly, RPM 100, Page 5
As it appeared in Billboards October 25, 1969 issue, due to corporate disagreements between partners, the company would be splitting. Terry Brown and Doug Riley who would continue to work together had split with Mort Ross.Billboard, October 25, 1969 - Page 82 Canadian News Report, Two Revolution Partners Split With 3d; Co. Revamps By the end of November, Ross had total control of Revolution Records Limited and Revolution Music Limited. At the time, artists under contract to the label included Motherlode, Dianne Brooks, Moe Koffman and Hagood Hardy.RPM Weekly, Volume 12 No. 15, November 29, 1969 - Page 5 ROSS GAINS CONTROL OF REVOLUTION
1970s In 1970, Hagood Hardy's single, "New World in the Morning" bw "Soon", was released on REVS-007.45Cat - Revolver - Label DiscographyThe Canadian Pop Music Encyclopedia - HARDY, Hagood, Singles It was the artist's first single for the label.Billboard, July 18, 1970 - Page 70 International News Reports, From The Music Capitals of the World The songs were performed live on The Barbara McNair Show on November 29, 1970.Lights, Camera, Backbeat - New World In The Morning, Soon
As of February 1971, Mort Ross was president of Revolution Music Ltd. and Doug Riley was president of Dr. Music Productions.Billboard, February 6, 1971 - Page 68 Canadian News Report, CIRPA Lists, Aims, Objectives by RITCHIE YORKE
In December 1970, the group Leigh Ashford had their single out on the Revolver label. A distribution deal between Revolver and RCA had been signed. In addition to Leigh Ashford, other acts included Chimo!, Motherlode and Jam Jar.Billboard, December 19, 1970 - Page 57 Canadian News Report, Ross Label & RCA in a Deal By early 1971, Leigh Ashford's single "Dickens" was charting at CKOC. It was also making its way up the RPM100 Singles chart.RPM Weekly, Volume 14 No 23 January 23, 1971 - Page 9 RPM100 SINGLESBillboard, February 6, 1971 - Page 68 Canada's Content Rule For Radio in 1st Week
Further reading RPM Weekly, Volume 12 No. 5, September 20, 1969 - Special Revolution issue, page 9.
References
External links Discogs: Revolution Records Discogs: Revolver (record label)